On December 1, 2025, on a vast land in Johor, Malaysia, the largest solar energy storage complex project in Southeast Asia, the South Johor Renewable Energy Corridor, is about to emerge. The project was announced by the World Bank for investment, and is jointly promoted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Johor State Investment Corporation (PDT), and Malaysian clean energy developer Ditronic. The total investment amount is 6 billion US dollars, and the plan is to build an integrated clean energy base with a total capacity of 4GW photovoltaic power generation and 5.12GWh energy storage system.

2000 square kilometer green electricity blueprint

Faced with the dilemma of tight land resources and difficulty in implementing large-scale renewable energy projects in Singapore, Johor, Malaysia has provided a solution with approximately 2000 square kilometers of land resources. The initial planning of the project adopts the "photovoltaic+energy storage" mode to effectively balance the intermittent problem of solar power generation and ensure stable power output. This design directly echoes Singapore's energy import plan - by 2035, one-third of Singapore's electricity demand will rely on cross-border procurement, and the South Johor project will become its key energy supply hub.

Sample Implementation of ASEAN Power Grid Initiative

As the first benchmark project of the ASEAN Grid Financing Initiative jointly launched by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, the South Johor Corridor highlights a new model of regional energy cooperation. IFC takes the lead in financing and combines the technology and resource integration capabilities of local institutions in Malaysia. The project will not only strengthen the power grid interconnection between Malaysia and Singapore, but also aim to promote electricity trade among multiple Southeast Asian countries. Malaysian energy industry insiders pointed out that the project is expected to become a "model room" for regional energy interconnection, providing technology and management experience for cross-border green power cooperation in countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.

125000 job positions promote green transformation

In addition to energy efficiency, the project is expected to create approximately 125000 job opportunities during the construction, operation, and maintenance phases, providing clean power support for rapidly developing industries such as data centers and manufacturing in Johor state. The head of Ditrotic Energy Company stated that the project, once completed, can reduce millions of tons of carbon emissions annually and lower Johor's dependence on fossil fuels. This measure resonates with China's global green development initiative, demonstrating the feasibility of developing countries accelerating their energy transition through international cooperation. Keywords: Energy Storage News, International Energy Storage Network

With the launch of the first phase of the project, the South Johor Renewable Energy Corridor has not only become an important footnote to Malaysia's green ambitions, but also marks the transition of Southeast Asian energy cooperation from a blueprint to substance. As predicted by the World Energy Agency, by 2030, the scale of renewable energy investment in the ASEAN region will exceed $100 billion, and this $6 billion "solar storage giant" is pressing the accelerator for regional win-win cooperation. Editor/Yang Meiling